


Remembering Charlie

by CMMLovr



Series: Newsroom Fanfic Challenge 2015 [6]
Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Newsroom Fanfic Challenge 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-07 00:51:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4243218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMMLovr/pseuds/CMMLovr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie's various (and eccentric) bequests to the Newsfamily, focusing mostly on Reese with appearances made by some other characters.</p><p>Based on LilacMermaid's June prompt for the Newsroom Fanfic Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Reese sits heavily at his desk at ACN, his eyes blearily glaring at the computer screen in front of him as he wills it to say _something_ different – as he wills the numbers to change. In the weeks following Charlie’s death, Reese has become nothing if not more motivated to reclaim ACN as his own and take it from Pruitt. It’s not about Charlie, he realises, though he is an influential factor in his desire to unseat Pruitt and steal back his throne. He wants ACN back because he knows what’s best for the network – has watched Charlie and his mom duke it out for long enough to know that you need to argue with the staffers to keep them on their toes, but not so much that it inhibits quality news and journalism. He has learned many valuable things from Charlie Skinner, and pained though he is to admit it, he’s going to miss the old bastard.

A sound breaks him from his baleful glaring – a sharp knock on his glass paned door that rouses him from his number-driven stupor. Glancing up, he sees Mac standing hesitantly behind the door, a brown-paper package in her arms. Gesturing for her to come in, he sits back and allows his desktop screen to go black.

“What can I do for you today, Mac?” asks Reese as she enters.

“I was told to deliver this to you in person – apparently Charlie specified it in his will.”

For a beat silence passes between them – just a moment in memory of the man who opened Reese’s eyes to _good_ broadcast television. The moment passes, and Reese sighs before gesturing to Mac to hand over the package. God knows what the man had in mind for Reese, and he is somewhat apprehensive about having to open the package in front of Mac. As she hands it to him, he notes the sheer weight of it – but also its regular, rectangular shape.

He does not tear into his parcel like a child on Christmas morning, nor does he fuss with unwrapping it corner by corner. He simply, and swiftly, slices the paper and packaging away from the tape with an envelope opener he’d found on Charlie’s desk the night of his death. He’d taken it in a moment of sadness and grief – he didn’t think the old man would mind. Prising away the papers, a small smile finds its way to his saddened eyes; of course he would leave him a copy of _Don Quixote._

“It’s to do with our mission,” explains Mac quietly, breaking the almost sacrosanct silence that had preceded Reese’s opening of his package.

“I know. I gathered as much in overhearing conversations between my mother and Charlie.”

“I think he wanted to hand Leona’s reins to you, Reese,” smiles Mac, sadly. “He wanted you to understand what we were trying to do – even in the event that I didn’t get President of the News Division, he wanted to make sure that someone was aware of the incredibly important undertaking he’d begun here, at ACN.” Mac’s voice breaks as she lets her eyes drift away from Reese’s to the carpet, hoping to compose herself somewhat.

Gazing back down at the book resting innocently on his desk, Reese can’t help the fond smile that lights his features. Itching for something to do, he allows his fingers to play with the pages, surprise flitting across his face when he sees Charlie’s handwriting gracing almost each page. He’d received Charlie’s own _annotated_ copy of _Don Quixote._ This wasn’t any old edition – this book had Charlie all over it; from the margins and page numbers to the annotated Chapter headings. Overcome by emotion, Reese becomes absorbed in hungrily raking each page for some sign of Charlie and, as always, he didn’t disappoint.

Laughing wetly, Reese meets Mac’s eye before murmuring, “I suppose he wants me to identify with the old man in his place?”

Chuckling, Mac shakes her head and says, “Maybe he just wanted you to be aware, and decide for yourself which character suits you best. “

“Thanks, Mac.”

It’s the first time, Mac thinks, she has seen Reese openly and sincerely touched by something.

Of course it would be Charlie who inspired such emotion.


	2. Leona

_Dear Leona,_

_I’m dead, aren’t I? Well, fuck. I never thought I’d go first! Anyway, no point in being bitter about it – just pour yourself a drink and smile because the biggest pain in your ass is finally gone._

_I’ll say one thing, though; you were right about Reese. He’s a son to be proud of, and he’s done you and ACN well. Don’t get me wrong, he’s undeniably an asshole when he wants to be, but he’s also got your best interests (and the interests of a company that you love) at heart. I understand where you stood, that night when Genoa was a looming nightmare, when you said that you wanted to hand the throne to Reese. As always, you were right, and I’m proud to have worked with him._

_Be kind to Nancy, she’ll miss me as much as you will (now, don’t go denying it!), and she’ll need your support._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

Folding the letter into precise quarters, I wait for the usual barrage of emotion that accompanies mention of the unbearable but ever-charming Charlie Skinner. I wait and prepare to repress; it would not do for me to be seen weeping in Charlie’s old office, seated at his desk with a tumbler of his whisky cradled in my palm. Nothing comes. I recall some of his letter, laughing fondly when he calls Reese an asshole, because I know now that he meant it fondly. Grinning, I chuckle at the fact that he’d signed off with ‘love’ like he’s writing to a lover rather than a friend, or, his boss. At the same time, though, our relationship never really was one of pure professionalism, so I suppose it’s only fair for him to cheekily include ‘love’ in his final words to me, only having heard my griping about its overuse in society a million times in the past. Sniffling once, I laugh wetly with the realisation that this is exactly what that smug bastard would’ve wanted; me, weeping in his office over one measly word. I move to place the letter back in its envelope when I remember seeing something stuck to the inside of it. Reaching in, I notice that it’s a disc and gently tug it out of its confines. A giggle escapes me when I see the DVD cover – Skyfall, but with Will’s face plastered over Daniel Craig’s.

That bastard.

 My God, do I miss him.


	3. Mac

“Mac! You’ve got a package – and it’s pretty heavy. Where do you want me to put it?” Will calls, hearing his wife emerge from the shower.

“Leave it on the coffee table – I’ll be right out!” She replies, towelling her hair hurriedly before pulling on an overlarge ACN sweatshirt and some yoga pants.

Will sets the package down gently, noting that it had been delivered from Charlie’s address. If he had to hazard a guess, he’d say that Nancy probably found some of Charlie’s work and decided to forward it to Mac.

Emerging from their room barefoot and with a towel around her shoulders, Mac flops down onto the couch beside Will, smiling as she notes the delivery address. Peeling away the packaging tape, Mac eagerly tears into the box, a choked half-giggle, half-sob forcing its way from her lips as full comprehension of her gift dawns on her. Dumbly, she picks up a small note that lies atop the black leather bag and its contents; a note unmistakeably scribbled in Charlie’s hand –

_‘Just in case you change your mind again.’_

She chuckles once before dissolving into wracking sobs against Will, who gathers her into his arms tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. It suddenly hits her that she has Charlie to thank for all she has – Will, ACN, the family of colleagues that she’s built. His cheeky gift is a gentle reminder of all she has to be thankful for – a reminder of his first, unexpected gift before she’d even started working with him that currently resides proudly on her bookshelf. Pulling away from Will, Mac lifts the heavy bowling ball out of the box and places in on the coffee table, chuckling wetly at Will’s look of utter confusion.

Someday, she’d explain its significance.

For now, she hopes that Reese is enjoying his bequest as much as she had when Charlie had it couriered to her in an attempt to persuade her that News Night would be her home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it :) If you did, please leave a comment!


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